Michael Abels

Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen spent the better part of the last two decades captivating the indie rock world as members of Grizzly Bear. They re-emerged this past year to score the Oscar-nominated Past Lives, a film that has captivated its entire audience.

For our very first episode of the Composer Magazine Podcast, we spoke to the composer behind Us and Get Out on reuniting with Oscar-winning director Jordan Peele and figuring out the sound for their new pop nightmare, Nope.Chatting to our host Charles Steinberg at his LA-based studio, Michael shares his perspective the indisputable horror of rabbits, the surprise that often comes when watching the finished film, as well as chairing the Composers Diversity Collective.

Leo Ross’s occupation as a composer has certainly been gaining steam. After an early music career of playing in and writing music for his bands, Ross transitioned into scoring under the wing of his older brother Atticus, merging the ethos of band culture into his new field while collaborating with Atticus and others on all of his projects. Now Leo Ross’s immersion into the scoring life is full fledged. His collaborative score for Shōgun was the belle of this TV season, and his solo score for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has given him room to explore his individual style. Before all of this, Leo sat down with Charles at a hotel in Los Angeles. Here is their conversation.

A lot of what has transpired in Ryan Lott’s life as a musician has been unexpected, mainly in as much as his unfearing forays into the potentiality of his medium has expanded his zone of interest, and that of his band Son Lux. The gumption of Son Lux has landed them in some unusual places, not least of which was at the helm of scoring one of the most unusual films ever made – Everything Everywhere All at Once. Listen along as Lott gets open about being a part of the first ever Oscar nominated band for best score, and the choices he made to get there, and beyond.

An unexpected harmony took shape when Este Haim and Amanda Yamate found each other. Now the composing tandem have a bond that transcends their art form. In this episode, they talk about their special relationship in scoring and in life.

Part 2 of our talk with the honorable Carter Burwell. Class resumes session.

The timing couldn’t have been better. Just as Dave Porter was winding down from his career-defining charge to compose all of the music for Breaking Bad, and its subsequent prequel Better Call Saul, we caught up with him to get his perspectives on being the musical anchor for one of the great stories told on television.Whether or not you are a Breaking Bad heavy, listen in and get to know one of our major contemporary composers. It's the stuff of legends.

We're starting off Season 2 with the bar set high! The great composer Natalie Holt joins Charles as co-host for this next round of talks with some of the most talented composers in the world, and our first guest is none other than Carter Buwell. Get ready to get schooled!

In this run-up to the 96th Academy Awards, we are delighted to share this conversation with nominee for best original score, Laura Karpman. Karpman's score for American Fiction, which has five nominations, gently twirls in and out of what is quietly one of the best films of 2023. It showcases a different side of Karpman than the grand-scale Marvel projects for which she's known.